It seems logical. Put a well constructed harness on drivers while they drive and you’ll increase the likelihood they will survive a car accident.

Makes sense right?

Did you know that in 1981 virtually every car had safety belts but only 11% of all drivers used them? 11%!!

That percentage now stands at over 85%.

Do safety belts actually save lives?

Yes… if a driver or passenger is wearing one – they have a 45% better chance of surviving a car accident – and also reduce the risk of serious injury by 50%.

Since regulators know these facts – why haven’t seat belts been installed in school buses – vehicles that carry scores of children to and from school daily?

Well – that much debated idea may finally move forward. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just announced it is endorsing three-point seat belts on school buses for the first time.

Does this news mean safety belts will be on Connecticut school buses soon?

Probably not. The NHTSA expects push back on the proposal and at least one special interest group representing manufacturers of school buses is already voicing opposition to a federal mandate. That group, the National Association for Pupil Transportation, is urging that decisions on school bus safety be left to cities and states, not federal regulators.

Isn’t it funny how organizations representing large manufacturers so often seem to resist safety changes that benefit consumers…

“As NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind put it: “the position of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is that seat belts save lives. That is true whether in a passenger car or in a big yellow bus. And saving lives is what we are about. So NHTSA’s policy is that every child on every school bus should have a three-point seat belt.”

Having represented families who’ve lost loved ones to school bus accidents – anything that can reasonably be done to improve bus safety seems like the correct thing to do.

As our kids head back to school – bus safety and travel safety must come back into focus for all of us. Just this week, school children were injured in Missouri when a school bus rolled over after the bus driver tried to take a turn at too high a rate of speed. While no one was killed – many youngsters were injured. Since 2000, approximately 150 school children (younger than 19) have died in school transportation-related crashes. Another 7,000 are injured annually. Of those fatally injured, over two-thirds (67%) were struck by school buses. Six percent were struck by vehicles functioning as school buses, and 27 percent by other vehicles involved in the crashes. Forty-three percent of school children killed in school transportation-related accidents were between the ages of 5 and 7.

Fifty-one percent of the time, the children that are injured are struck by the front of the transporting vehicle.

More school-age pedestrians have been killed between the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. than any other time of day.

So what can be done to keep our children safer? Is technology part of the solution?

Well, there is new technology emerging that allows bus companies to remotely monitor all mechanical systems on buses as well as monitor bus speeds and locations. This new technology will allow bus companies to know when brakes and other critical parts need repair. It will also allow companies to better understand which drivers may be unsafe.

Driving Tips To Keep The Roads Safe For Children Riding School Buses:

Yellow flashing lights indicate that a bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. When you see this signal, always slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and extended stop arms signal that a bus has come to a full stop and that children are getting on or off. You must stop your car and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before you start driving again.

Bus stops are areas where children often play. If you see a group waiting for a bus – be on guard. And always watch for that child who is late for the bus and may run into the street without thinking or looking.

RisCassi & Davis has handled many school bus accident cases in Connecticut over our more than 55 years serving the people of this state. Our attorneys have received significant local and national recognition for our handling of these kinds of injury cases including:

Top listing in “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Best Law Firms” and much more (for more on our honors and awards, click here).

If you would like a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers, contact us today. There is no obligation of any kind.

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Nationally Recognized Personal Injury Law Firm with 60 Years of Experience.